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Facies pattern and sea-level dynamics of the early Late Cretaceous transgression: a case study from the lower Danubian Cretaceous Group (Bavaria, southern Germany)

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Abstract

The facies development and onlap pattern of the lower Danubian Cretaceous Group (Bavaria, southern Germany) have been evaluated based on detailed logging, subdivision, and correlation of four key sections using an integrated stratigraphic approach as well as litho-, bio-, and microfacies analyses. Contrary to statements in the literature, the transgressive onlap of the Regensburg Formation started in the Regensburg–Kelheim area already in the early Early Cenomanian Mantelliceras mantelli ammonite Zone and not in the Late Cenomanian. In the Early Cenomanian, nearshore glauconitic-bioclastic sandstones prevailed (Saal Member), followed by Middle to lower Upper Cenomanian mid-shelf siliceous carbonates intercalated with fine-sandy to silty marls (Bad Abbach Member). Starting in the mid-Late Cenomanian (Metoicoceras geslinianum ammonite Zone), a considerable deepening pulse during the Cenomanian–Turonian Boundary Event (CTBE) initiated the deposition of the deeper shelf silty marls of the Eibrunn Formation, which range into the early Early Turonian. During the CTBE transgression, also the proximal Bodenwöhrer Senke (ca. 40 km NE of Regensburg) was flooded, indicated by the onlap of the Regensburg Formation onto Variscan granites of the Bohemian Massif, overlain by a thin tongue of lowermost Turonian Eibrunn Formation. A detailed record of the positive δ13C excursion of the global Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE) 2 has been retrieved from this shallow-water setting. An integrated approach of bio-, event-, carbon stable isotope and sequence stratigraphy was applied to correlate the sections and to decipher the dynamics of this overall transgressive depositional system. The Cenomanian successions show five prominent unconformities, which correlate with those being known from basins in Europe and elsewhere, indicating their eustatic origin. The rate of sea-level rise during the CTBE suggests glacio-eustasy as a driving mechanism for Late Cenomanian sea-level changes. The Regensburg and Eibrunn formations of the lower Danubian Cretaceous Group are highly diachronous lithostratigraphic units. Their regional distribution and northeast-directed onlap pattern onto the southwestern margin of the Bohemian Massif can readily be explained by the lateral movements of roughly coast-parallel (i.e., NW/SE-trending) facies belts of a graded shelf system transgressing on a northeastward-rising substrate. It took the Cenomanian coastline ca. 6 Ma to transgress from southwest of Regensburg to the topographically elevated granite cliffs southeast of Roding in the Bodenwöhrer Senke (=60 km distance).

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Acknowledgments

The paper greatly benefited from insightful reviews by R. Henrich (Bremen) and J. Mutterlose (Bochum) as well as editorial comments by A. Freiwald (Wilhelmshaven). We thank U. Heimhofer (Bochum) and P. Hochuli (Zürich) for the identification of the palynomorphs and C. Linnert (Bochum) for the analysis of calcareous nannoplankton from the basal black clay of the Grub section. M. Jäger (Dotternhausen) identified several micro-invertebrates from the Limestone Bed of the Obertrübenbach section. We also acknowledge the permission to access the Saal (Felswerke AG, Saal an der Donau) and the Haimerl quarries (Haimerl gravel works, Grub) for fieldwork. We are indebted to J. Rohrmüller (Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt, LfU, Marktredwitz) for the permission to publish data of an internal LfU report (Niebuhr 2008) and his comments on the components of the basal conglomerate of the Regensburg Formation at Obertrübenbach, which was superbly photographed by R. Winkler (Senckenberg Dresden; cf. Fig. 9c). This paper is a contribution to DFG project WI 1743/6-1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Museum für Mineralogie und Geologie, Sektion Paläozoologie, Königsbrücker Landstr. 159, 01109, Dresden, Germany

    Markus Wilmsen & Birgit Niebuhr

  2. Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen–Nürnberg, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Fachgruppe PaläoUmwelt, Loewenichstr. 28, 91054, Erlangen, Germany

    Patrick Chellouche

  3. Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Abt. 10 Geologischer Dienst, Leopoldstr. 30, 95615, Markredwitz, Germany

    Thomas Pürner

  4. Ulmer Str. 204, 86156, Augsburg, Germany

    Michael Kling

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  1. Markus Wilmsen
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Correspondence to Markus Wilmsen.

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Wilmsen, M., Niebuhr, B., Chellouche, P. et al. Facies pattern and sea-level dynamics of the early Late Cretaceous transgression: a case study from the lower Danubian Cretaceous Group (Bavaria, southern Germany). Facies 56, 483–507 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-010-0224-2

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